


For You, I'm Here

by ThePrimeOne



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Fluff, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:13:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24149512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePrimeOne/pseuds/ThePrimeOne
Summary: They had each other long before they realised it, even if they thought themselves alone.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Petra Macneary
Comments: 12
Kudos: 59





	1. White Clouds - The Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I'm starting another multi-chapter fic of them. Don't worry about the other one.

Ashe was easily intimidated, something he would generally be willing to acknowledge as such to anyone. What he would seldom admit even in his later years out of sheer embarrassment was the fact the Garreg Mach Monastery- the building itself, intimidated him. Seeing its tall stature even from afar made him feel incredibly small, like one of soldiers or shopkeeps that often chased him down for stealing food for his siblings before Lonato took him in.

A man calls out to Ashe when the carriage stops. House Gaspard's head butler, Klein, holds the carriage door openly with enough patience that he could stand there in place for a lifetime. Ashe sheepishly gets out of the carriage, his feet feeling the solid ground through his shoes after a long day of traveling.

Klein informs him that his bags have been taken to his assigned room already and that one of the Knights of Seiros will escort him to his room to unpack. Ashe gulps, looking up at the monastery and turns back to Klein. The butler bows to him and wishes him good luck- something Ashe feels he desperately needs.

He thanks the older man and watches as he gets back into the carriage. Ashe blurts out his butler's name, stopping him mid-step.

"Klein!"

"Yes, Young Master?"

He clears his throat, "Klein… you don't have to call me that anymore. Just Ashe will do. And thank you for all you've done for me. I truly didn't deserve it."

Klein frowns for a moment. "With all due respect, Young Master, you are very, very wrong." The older man smiles and shakes his head. "But I suppose I cannot refuse such a request. Very well then, Ashe. Good luck with your academic endeavors in the year ahead, and I will await your safe arrival home."

He wanted to say otherwise, but Ashe knew better than to reject Klein's kind words.

Ashe thanks him and watches the carriage disappear. The Knight of Seiros assigned to take Ashe to his room waves him down, and Ashe's nervousness increases tenfold, as does his excitement. He'd never talked to a Knight of Seiros, much less seen a Knight of Seiros up close- such a thing was akin to a dream come true for Ashe.

The experience is unfortunately short and awkward, the Knight seemingly uninterested, having better things to do than escort some kid to his room. But Ashe could understand. Knights had many duties to attend to, so he supposed something like this would be low on their list of priorities.

With an even more awkward farewell when Ashe arrived at his room, he began rummaging through his bags. Sorting out his clothes and the many uniforms he had into the large closet, Ashe turns his attention to the heavyweights disguised as books. Lining up his desk with some of his books that his siblings forced into his bags, Ashe looks upon them with a soft smile. Warm memories associated with the books fill his mind, Marco and Alyssa excitedly snuggling up next to him in front of their new-found home's fireplace as he reads the stories to them when they couldn't.

The last book he pulls out is Loog and the Maiden of the Wind, one of his most treasured possessions, but one that weighs heavily on his mind.

Christophe.

Memories resurface, his late brother reading him the book soon after he was adopted. He wasn't able to comprehend a single letter back then, but few things had filled him with such joy and wonder when Christophe would sit down with him to read, even amongst his other duties.

He forces his mind to suppress the thought. It was supposed to be a fresh start; he reminds himself. A place to start over, make new memories, and forge new bonds. He knew there was no use dwelling on the past, no matter how much he subconsciously clung onto those memories.

Ashe places the last book onto his desk and decides to wander down to the greenhouse. Even if House Gaspard had ones larger than Garreg Mach's, he found the one at Garreg Mach had caught his eyes regardless. Closing the door shut behind him, he makes his way down quickly and takes a peek inside.

The greenhouse is beautiful, is how he best describes it. A large variety of plants from different corners of Fodlan populate most of the building's interior; some he recognises and some he doesn't. The sun's warm rays that beat down on his skin and provided a constant stream of sustenance for the plants felt so very nostalgic.

As homesickness rises within him, a woman inside tending to some flowers spots him and waves. Ashe mirrors her awkwardly, stepping inside at her insistence. He finds out her name is Agitha, the woman hired as the greenhouse keeper before introducing himself. Unsurprisingly, she's not aware of who he is specifically- only that Lonato had adopted two sons and a daughter. The name Lonato leaves her mouth, and her tone grows somber. 

She explains that Christophe had a soft spot for the greenhouse when he was once a student there. She offers her sympathises, as late as they may be.

Ashe forces a smile and says it's okay. 

It's not.

So much for the fresh start, he thinks sadly. He offers Agitha his help instead. When she doesn't accept, he insists on helping the day after. After all, there was still a day's worth of work ahead of them before they were to begin, he reasons, and Agitha cannot help but accept.

He leaves moments after the bell rings, signaling that the dining hall would begin serving dinner. He makes his way there, met by a girl with long blonde hair in front of him- Ingrid Brandl Galatea. He introduces himself, and she gasps, apologising profusely for not realising he had already arrived. Once the food gets served, she drags him to a table where some of their classmates sit, feeling their eyes zoomed in on him as they approach. They all greet him with genuine and welcoming smiles, Ashe memorising their names: Annette, Mercedes, Sylvain, Ingrid, Dedue and, the crown prince of Faerghus himself, Dimitri; with only Felix missing from the table.

The group falls into a strange sense of familiarity that's foreign to him. Annette and Mercedes are giggling amongst themselves, while Ingrid, Sylvain, Dimitri discuss the year ahead with Dedue occasionally chiming in.

It's only now Ashe realises how out of his element- or perhaps, out of place he is.

  
  


.

.

.

  
  


When Petra arrived, she thanked the spirits she was finally out of the stuffy carriage; she hoped that adjusting to her new environment wouldn't be as tricky as it was during her first few months in Enbarr. The Princess of Brigid had learned to adapt to her surroundings as best she could, learning of Fodlan's culture and language to the best of her ability. Yet no matter how hard she tried, there was always that one... something. Something that didn't click with her. At one point, it was Fodlan's insistence that young women of the high class wear dresses with corsets so tight that it choked the soul out of her body. Another, her inability to speak the language properly after four years of study, despite gaining a solid understanding of it in other aspects, there was always something.

And now this something was the company she would keep in the Black Eagles. 

The evening she arrived, Edelgard had led her to the Black Eagles classroom before dinner for her house members to familiarize themselves with each other. The meeting, while somewhat productive, was almost entirely awkward.

The Imperial Princess provided good company throughout her time in Enbarr when time permitted it. And yet, despite being a princess like her, Edelgard possessed a severe and commanding aura that Petra knew she didn't have. 

Petra couldn't help but look up to Edelgard as a goal she aimed to surpass, even if a part of her despised herself for feeling that way. Her home country was a vassal state of the Empire after all, and Petra wasn't sure if that was ever to change even if Edelgard was a friend.

Hubert was… strange, unnerving at first glance. The young man was continually shadowing Edelgard, ready to assist her directly or indirectly at a moment's notice. He also had a habit of glaring at his classmates with judging stares. Petra couldn't help but feel she was often singled out the most amongst them for her status as Princess and her country's allegiance. Bernadetta... well, Bernadetta had refused to show up to the meeting. Edelgard informed them she had a severe case of social anxiety, something Petra couldn't wrap her head around at first but decided not to dwell it and leave her be.

Ferdinand was loud and boisterous, but strangely not in a way that she found irritating like other nobles in Enbarr- he meant well enough. Conversely, Dorothea's fake smile said, as if she held a deep-seated grudge against him. Petra counted herself lucky that the Songstress had been a small breath of fresh air amongst those at the monastery, the two became quick friends. Linhardt slept through the meeting, a supposedly common occurrence, and Caspar?

Well, when they hear the other's respective last names, he refuses to meet her eyes. The tension in the room became so palpable that it stirred Linhardt out of his sleep. She was grateful when Edelgard dismissed them, Petra excusing herself to retreat out of the classroom.

After spending so long locked in the carriage, Petra wanted nothing more than to breathe fresh air, and the tension in the stuffy classroom had only made her crave it more. When she stepped out of the room without Edelgard or Dorothea to guide her around the monastery, she found she was well and truly lost.

Not that she minded.

Despite the monastery's size not being anywhere close to Enbarr, it took her some time for her to find her way back to her dorm, opting to hold off on dinner in favour of unpacking her bags.

One of the packages held a familiar item that made Petra's heartache as she slices apart the tied ropes sealing it together. She unravels it along the wooden floor, revealing a handcrafted rug made from the best materials and by the best seamstresses Brigid had to offer. Her Grandfather ordered it to be made soon after negotiations for Brigid's new allegiance with Adrestia, knowing she was to leave for Enbarr. Petra did not understand at the time why her father had died. She could not comprehend why the separation from her homeland was needed. She remembered actively fighting with who she assumed to be her captors to return her home before she fell to her knees in despair when her Grandfather disappeared from view at Enbarr's naval port, returning home.

She was left all alone in an unfamiliar place so loud, crowded, and quite frankly stunk terribly. 

The Princess left with very few possessions from her home. Her hunting knife, a set of her native attire, and the rug that she slept on and often sobbed herself to sleep in the first few months of her stay in Enbarr, refusing to sleep in the bed she was provided.

Petra ran her hand over its surface, memories of old re-emerging as a reminder of her home. The familiar smell of Brigid's air that was fading from her mind. The bustling markets in the city capital. She remembers the soft sand of Brigid's beaches beneath her feet and the warmth of the ocean wrapped around her as she looked up at the sky from beneath the waves.

Voices of a family she hasn't heard in years whisper in the back of her mind. 

Voices of her Grandfather, her Mother, and her Father.

_ Father? _

_ Yes, little one? _

_ Where are you going? _

_ I'm going to fight against a dangerous enemy to protect our home. _

_ Let me come with you! _

_ No, Petra. I cannot allow that. You must stay here and help take care of your mother and your Grandfather if something happens to me. _

_ Happens? Are you- are you going to die? _

_ No, of course not. _

_ Well, can you teach me to fight when you come home? _

_...Perhaps. If you are a good girl, then I shall think about it. _

_ Father, please! _

_ Do not look disheartened, Petra. You are the most wonderful daughter in the world. The spirits bless you. It is proof you are fit to rule one day. You are Brigid's pride... my pride. Don't ever forget that. _

Even with closed eyes, she could feel them well up and her stomach sting, making her want to retch. She quickly stood to her feet and retreated from her room to find the washrooms.

And the washroom would've been occupied by her not a moment too soon if she hadn't crashed into someone first.

.

.

.

Tomas had been unexpectedly generous to Ashe with letting him borrow books and even promised Ashe he would take the fall if Seteth had spotted him and lectured him about borrowing too many books from the library at one time. The library at Garreg Mach had amassed more stories and legends of knights he hadn't been able to get his hands on back home, Ashe giddy with excitement. He wasn't sure why, but he decided not to question it, for the time being, making sure to get back to his dorm room in time for curfew. 

He carefully carries the books down the stairs towards his room, and he lets out a relieved sigh when his door is in sight.

And without warning, one of the doors further down opens, an unfamiliar figure aimlessly running towards him and crashing into him, books falling to the ground. Ashe quickly finds his footing and crouches to the ground and picks up the fallen books. 

"Ah, please be having my apologies, I was not looking…"

"Oh, it's fine! There was no harm done," Ashe shakes his head. He stacks his books into a pile and reaches for the final book, the hand of the other person taking hold of it simultaneously. His head snaps up, and Ashe's swears he stops breathing.

He gazes upon an unfamiliar girl who seems about his age, glancing back at him with reddened eyes and tears falling down her face behind the moonlight.

It's just like a scene out of Loog and Maiden of the Wind, Ashe thinks.

She quickly lets go of the book and wipes at her eyes and stands to bow down, not a moment later. "Please be having my apologies again. I was…" 

The girl takes off past him, her head looking down to the ground as she walks past him and up the stairs.

Ashe stares at her retreating form as it disappears. The young boy stands in place, utterly bewildered. Taking his newly borrowed books inside, he sorts them on his desk, the girl on his mind even as he collapses into bed and falls asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I played up the angst so hard it's almost comical, that's nuts. I promise next chapter won't be like this sad.


	2. Mock Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Ashe heard that there would be a mock battle at the beginning of their school year, he had it in good faith that he would prepare as best he could with their new Professor's assistance until then. He hadn't, unfortunately, counted on it quite literally occurring on their first day of the school year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those five comments I got on the previous chapter really motivated me, so you get another chapter this week. I hope it's still okay tho, I went kind crazy and I had to cut some filler stuff back, so it may come across as lacking focus, oops.

When Ashe heard that there would be a mock battle at the beginning of their school year, he had it in good faith that he would prepare as best he could with their new Professor's assistance until then. He hadn't, unfortunately, counted on it quite literally occurring on their first day of the school year.

And to further his surprise more, the Professor chose him of all people to lead into battle. When the Blue Lions had been informed who the Professor had selected, his first instinct was to object. It was not out of fear of hurting someone; they were using blunt weapons for a reason. No, he was afraid of embarrassing himself. Floundering the mere basics of archery Christophe had taught him. Fearful of making Christophe's effort and time spent on Ashe a laughing stock.

But he fights it back when he remembers who he's fighting alongside. He would be in battle alongside the heirs of some of the most influential territories in Faerghus. Felix, Sylvain, and His Highness himself. Even Ashe knew Annette was no slouch despite her clumsy first impression. Even the Knights of Seiros would be watching.

He may have been a low born thief for a time, but now he was representing the Blue Lions. His family would be proud of him. Both of them.

And so, he makes it a point to push through and persevere despite his growing anxiety. 

As they march out onto the battlefield, he sees the other houses and their teachers take their places, claiming their stake of the battlefield. A plum haired girl with her long hair all braided up stands among them, training sword in hand. Ashe frowns when he sees her. The thought of the strange events from the previous night still left him bewildered going into the morning. He recalls seeing her seated with her other classmates of the Black Eagles house during breakfast, smiling as if what he saw never occurred.

The thought of going to talk to her had crossed his mind, but doing so would have been a little more than odd to him. He didn't even know her name. His attention is brought back to the battle at hand by the sound of a horn. It's heard on all corners of the battlefield, signaling for the fight to begin in earnest.

Two students from the Golden Deer house close in upon the Blue Lions immediately- Lorenz and Ignatz he finds out from the Professor as she gives the order for him and Sylvain to meet them in battle. He steadies his breathing and stays a few meters behind Sylvain. The redhead's lance clashes Lorenz's own with a loud crash. Ashe pulls back the arrow in his bow. Ignatz, however, is faster on the uptake and fires his first. Seeing the arrow about to fire, he clumsily leaps to the side, the arrow missing. Ashe tries again, and this time is more successful. The blunt arrow hits Ignatz in the stomach, the Golden Deer boy wincing in pain. Knowing it was enough of a distraction, Ashe fires another arrow that lands in the middle of his chest as Sylvain forces Lorenz to submit. 

Ashe blinks, feeling his body's adrenaline begin to run high even if it was surprisingly easy. Ignatz and Lorenz saunter off the battlefield as he turns his attention to the central part of the fight. He rejoins the Professor, who orders him to flank the Black Eagles who are oddly holding back. The Professor and Dimitri split ways to deal with Claude, Hilda, and Raphael, while Felix, Annette, and Sylvain take the long route through to the small forestry where some of the Black Eagles students await.

An arrow would have left his quiver if a small fireball hadn't flown towards him. He easily sidesteps it, and the Black Eagles students that were once waiting, unsuspecting, began to push them back. The girl with the hat and the boy that looked like he could fall asleep at any moment rain fireballs down on Sylvain and Annette.

Meanwhile, Ashe and Felix get matched up with the plum-haired girl and another who proclaims himself to be Ferdinand Von Aegir. Even if well-placed arrows could take her out of the fight quickly, the thought would be for naught if he couldn't keep up with her speed. He fires arrow after arrow as their two opponents close in on Felix, the more significant threat. 

Yet, even with the inherent range advantage he possessed, he couldn't land any shots on her. Ferdinand had sustained injuries from his arrows but still persevered against Felix. It takes him a moment to refocus his attention on the threat at hand as he steadies himself and takes a little more time to aim. And yet the young girl still dodges his arrows with high speed. Even more impressively, she does so while clashing with Felix.

Her small form rolls out of the way of an overhead strike from Felix and behind some foliage. She disappears from his sight, and yet, strangely, he does not panic. An idea reaches up from the depths of his mind. He focuses his gaze further on the girl who appears out from the foliage. The path she uses to dash between cover lines up perfectly with Sylvain and Annette's battle.

He selectively fires arrows to conserve what little he had left. He fires far ahead of his opponent's path in an attempt to hit her, and yet still applying pressure on the battle at the other end of the forest. Unsurprisingly, most of his arrows miss the young girl, his arrows hitting two Black Eagles students in the distance as a consolation prize.. Outside of his sloppy handling of the bow, the way the girl moved in combat with Felix at close range, and against him at long range was smooth, like the wind was guiding her on a path to victory.

_She's so..._

The thought stops, and the girl disappears. And for the one moment he lets his guard down in confusion, the plum haired girl dives from off a nearby tree's branch. Ashe leaps back almost on instinct, her weapon nearly striking his face. Unfortunately for him, she doesn't allow Ashe time to retreat with enough time to find another arrow.

She pulls back her free arm and thrusts it forward, her palm knocking into Ashe's chin. He staggers back and falls to the ground as the girl tackles him, pushing the blunt sword into his stomach. He doesn't even notice that she's straddling him or that her sword is lodged into the ground right next to his head when they make eye contact.

Ashe loses himself in her eyes and sees a fire that shone so brightly it almost puts him in a daze. He remembers where his thought was leading to before. 

Regal. Fierce. Strong. Light on her feet like a dancer whose routine spoke of a fiery warrior in combat that whispered death. Gone was the girl that broke down before him the night before. Instead loomed over him, someone who could be a force to be reckoned with one day.

The girl's face turns up into a small, almost sheepish smile that betrays her demeanor in battle. "I am thinking I have grabbed the victory."

Ashe's eyes widen, and he's suddenly very aware of their position.

"Y-yeah. I think you have."

She climbs off him with little bravado and turns her attention back towards the battle where it's needed most. Ashe stands on his feet and watches her retreat to back up Ferdinand, whose moments away from being knocked to his feet. With it being his turn to exit the battlefield, he watches from the sidelines as the Professor turns the tables on the remaining Black Eagles and Golden Deer, leading them to victory.

.

.

.

Petra lets out a hefty sigh as she feels the bruises on her body evaporate underneath her uniform. Manuela works her faith magic, the young girl's body relaxing as a warm, therapeutic light spreads over her body. Felix was indeed an opponent she did not intend to underestimate, and yet she sat in the infirmary wracked with bruises from his strikes. They served as a sharp reminder that she had a long way to go if she wanted to force the Empire to recognise Brigid as an equal and free her homeland.

"All done now, dear." Manuela stands on her feet, and Petra mimics her quickly. "You performed fantastically out there today, Petra."

Brigid's princess smiles a little through a wince. "Thank you, Professor Manuela."

"Oh, you're certainly a sweet one, aren't you?" Manuela chuckles. 

Petra smiles gratefully and follows her Professor out of the infirmary. She reflects on her performance in battle, evaluating herself on what she did right, and what she needed to improve on.

_My physical strength is lacking, and my focus during battle was being unbalanced. These are the things I must be fixing, amongst others,_ Petra concludes.

She thinks back to the mandatory training she was placed under some months after she arrived in Enbarr. Though she loathed it, in hindsight, she felt strangely grateful for it. It allowed her body to remain sharp, to recall still, and remember what she had learned from her father as a hunter, even though she could barely recall his voice. 

And though no one ever taught her at her father's insistence, she often watched the mighty warriors of Brigid training in the courtyard of the Macneary's large villa. She mimicked their actions in secret, knowing her father would not approve, implementing those movements her body memorised into her swordplay.

The two make their silent journey back, and Manuela immediately commands the attention of the class. She hands out sheets to all the students and begins to explain the layout of the classes throughout the week. Petra listens intently, soaking in every word of Manuela's clear cut explanation, evident of her time Garreg Mach. 

Manuela dismisses them, and Petra makes a beeline for the billboard outside the classrooms, eager to plan around her assigned chores for the week.

She doesn't have to scan far down the list to find herself bewildered. There her name was assigned to a chore on Wednesday-- today --at the greenhouse in no less than fifteen minutes.

"Petra!" Dorothea's voice calls out, catching up to her. "You're eager, aren't you? Did you find out where you've been assigned to this week?"

"Yes," Petra confirms with a nod. "I am working at the greenhouse today, but I am not having familiarity with my partner." 

The princess points to her name on the list for Dorothea to see. The songstress squints at the person's name. "Ah, yes, I know that one," she nods. "He's one of the Blue Lions students. He participated in the mock battle with Felix when we were fighting in the forest. Though it looks like their class was dismissed a while ago. Maybe you should go ahead of time and see if he's there? Get a chance to know him?"

Petra's mouth runs dry, but she smiles through it regardless. "I am thinking that is a good idea, Dorothea. Shall I be seeing you later?"

The songstress mirrors her expression and bids Petra farewell. Finding her way to the greenhouse is more straightforward than she expects, the layout of the monastery becoming imprinted in her mind. Stepping off the stone steps and towards the dorm rooms, she slows down to a halt when she recalls the night before. She cranes her neck away in embarrassment, disappointed in herself for such a poor first impression and break in personality.

Princesses don't cry; she remembers them saying. To her. To Edelgard. And she doesn't cry- not usually anyway. Not like that. The calm and collected demeanor that she grew up into, the heart she wore on her sleeve, was her. 

Perhaps that's why she wanted to defeat Felix Fraldarius, the most skilled and most robust with a sword amongst the students. Maybe that's why she was so insistent on taking down that boy in the mock battle. Perhaps it was why she took so much pride in it like she claimed a kill when she went hunting. 

And yet, she still can't help recall the strange calm that settled within her when she looked into the boy's sea-green eyes- both the night before and during the battle. 

It reminded her of home.

Petra swats such thoughts out of her mind and stops in front of the closed doors. She knocks.

"It's open!" a familiar voice exclaims from inside.

She enters without much thought and stops when a tuft of silver hair catches her eye.

"Sorry about that, I didn't realise that the door was closed," the boy apologises, crouched down and digging at some soil at the opposite end of the greenhouse. He stands on his feet and turns toward her. 

His mouth parts as if to speak, but the words escape him. 

"Are you… Ashe?" she asks curiously. His eyes widen, revealing more of the sea-green in them that reminds her of home.

"Y-yes!" the young boy squeaks faster than he likes to admit, his face going red from the sudden voice crack. "That's me. You're Petra, right?"

"Yes, that is correct." she nods. "It is good to be meeting you, Ashe."

"It's good to meet you too." Ashe clears his throat, eyes diverting to a nearby flower bed. "My apologies if you get asked this a lot, but is it true that you're a princess from Brigid? If you are, is there a title I should call you by? I just don't want to be disrespectful, or come across as too familiar…"

Petra's face breaks into an amused yet bashful smile, with a small giggle to accompany it. "You have my gratitude for thinking of me like that, Ashe. While it may be truth, please be calling me by my name and not princess. When you do, you are making my cheeks blush!"

Ashe gulps, his face lighting up with shades of red from sheer embarrassment. "O-okay, Petra," he says and stops to ponder the name that left his mouth. "Petra... it's a cute name," he blurts out a little louder than he realises.

If it weren't for the fact she moved away from the doors and into the garden, she would have missed it. The words register in her mind. "Are you speaking truth?"

Ashe stops moving at that moment. He turns into a statue with its face painted red, and at a complete loss for words. 

For better or for worse, Agitha appears out of thin air, dispelling the awkward atmosphere immediately with her warm presence. Garnering their attention and thanking them for being early, she directs them to help her with the gardening for the afternoon. Midway through watering the various fauna in the greenhouse, a thought occurs to her that makes her pause. The watering can almost fell out of her hands.

Brigid's princess gazes upon the plants before her with pursed lips. Another coincidence is what she chalks the thought up to. 

Ashe taps her on the shoulder, gaining her attention. He asks her to help him move plants from pots and into the gardens itself, and Petra happily accepts.

As they work together more, and even after, as they wash their hands off in the pond, Petra is more than relieved the strange, awkward air between them was dispelled. Mostly.

As they went their separate ways, Petra wasn't sure if they were friends yet. 

But it was a start of something that she, and unbeknownst to her, Ashe was satisfied with that brought her an uncanny peace of mind when she fell asleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An attempt was made at a fight scene. But it doesn't count cos it's not a real battle, so we're good :P
> 
> Anyway, another relatively short chapter. I'm trying not to go too crazy on chapter lengths with this fic. It's what got me burnt out on my other multi chapter fics only 2-3 chapters in, since I insisted on pushing 5-6k per chapter. 
> 
> Comments, kudos and bookmarks are all appreciated, as per usual!


	3. Supporting You - C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashe writes a letter and mediates a problem between Petra and a merchant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Updating a multi-chapter fic? Wild, I know. I had to reach in the deepest recesses of my creative depraved mind to get this one out, so hopefully it's okay lol.

_ To Lord Lonato of House Gaspard in the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus _

\---

To Lord Lonato,

I hope this letter finds you well! As of writing, it's been half a month since I've arrived at Garreg Mach, and it's all still surreal to me!

I like to think I've settled in just fine, but the new environment does make things a little more challenging to get used to. While the school year is only a few days in, classes being scheduled throughout most of the day have started to tire me out more than I expected. Even so, there's a lot of exciting things to learn, and I intend to do the best I can with the opportunity you've provided me!

What you may not know is that our Professor was a recent hire. She's the daughter of Jeralt, the Blade Breaker, and goes by the name of 'Byleth,' but 'Ashen Demon' is also one of them. I haven't heard the name before, but it seemed to scare some of the Knights of Seiros. Do you know who she is, by any chance?

As you may know, some of my classmates are heirs to the most influential territories in Faerghus. His Highness, Felix Fraldarius, and Sylvain Gautier, to be exact. As for my other classmates, Dedue hails from Duscur as His Majesty's vassal, Ingrid from Galatea, Annette from Dominic. Mercedes, as far as I know, was born in an Imperial House, but grew up a commoner in Faerghus. I'm not too sure about the details.

But, even in their presence, I can't help but feel a bit… at odds with them. They're all very kind, accommodating and fun people to be around, don't get me wrong! Though it feels like I'm always the outsider. His Highness, Felix, Sylvain, Ingrid, and Dedue all know each other to some extent, and Annette and Mercedes are best friends. Then there's me, a low born thief adopted into nobility with little to my name and connection to my class. It's made things a bit rough with them so far.

I have made some acquaintances from people outside of the Blue Lions, though. Caspar von Bergliez is a little loud, but he has a sense of justice I can understand- though not agree with. Marianne von Edmund is very quiet and always so tired looking, but she's quite lovely. Cyril is an orphan taken in by Rhea that I've spoken to- but not much. He works a little too much for his own good.

But I think the one I've spoken to the most is Petra Macneary. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know her, but she's in the Black Eagles house and is  **the** Princess of Brigid. I'm not exactly sure I've left the best first impression on her, though. I embarrassed myself by asking what title to refer to her by like I was reading one of those stories and not speaking to a person.

Especially embarrassing when she just wanted me to call her by her name. You know, like everyone else does.

Speaking of the mock battle, our new Professor chose me to lead into battle alongside His Highness, Felix, Sylvain, and Annette. It was a little nerve-wracking, but it went well. Outside of t ~~he Princess~~ Petra defeating me quickly.

Not that it was upsetting or disappointing. Being able to fight alongside His Highness was a great honour, but you really didn't miss out on much. Most of the fight occurred in the forest anyway.

~~ Now that think about it, I don't understand how she could fight with all that hair in a braid like that. I'm not sure I'd have the patience to do Alyssa's hair like that... not that she could pull it off as well, but I digress. ~~

How are Marco and Alyssa? I hope that my being away hasn't made them too restless; they did say they were going to miss me a great deal- and I do too! I've left them a little something in this package for them from Garreg Machs's marketplace. 

My apologies that I could not send you, Klein and Vanessa (and all of Castle Gaspard's staff, really) a little present too. Money isn't so easy to come by, even here, but it still makes me feel bad.

But I think I've rambled on enough as is, the parchment won't fit into the envelope at this rate! Please tell Marco and Alyssa I love them, give my thanks to Klein again for accompanying me on the journey to Garreg Mach, and tell everyone I miss them.

Eagerly awaiting your reply,

Ashe Ubert

P.S. if you hear Klein refer to me by my first name, please don't give him grief about it! I promise I insisted he does that.

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.

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On the eve of the first Saturday leading into Sunday of the Harpstring Moon, soft light illuminates the room of one Ashe Ubert. Its warm embrace slips away and escapes through the bottom of the door, indicating to any passersby that he was still awake well after curfew. Though he had a good reason in his eyes, Ashe suspected Seteth would not care much for the sentiment. He straightens his back as he puts on the final touches on his first letter back home. Ashe signs the bottom of the message as best he can, and places the quill down with a sigh. 

He looked over it and re-read the letter one more time. Eyebrows furrowed as his eyes scanned over the crossed out paragraph. Visibility cringing in embarrassment, yet not wanting to bother with a sixth attempt at writing a letter, he folded the letter neatly and sighed deeply after he reached for a seal.

_ I need a bigger envelope. _

He got three knocks on his door instead. A small groan escapes his mouth as he walks to his door. The Gaspard heir carefully opens it, not ready for a scolding from Seteth. To his surprise, Seteth does not stand on the other side of the door, yet he suddenly wishes it so.

"Oh. Hello Ashe. I didn't realise this was your room," a woman says with her smile that could suddenly crumble. The way she speaks to him, he finds quite unnerving- a kind of familiarity that shouldn't come to her so quickly, but does. 

He clears his throat and puts the best fake smile he could muster at the moment. "Hello, Catherine." His mouth twitches. "And yes, this is my room. I assume you've come here to tell me that it's past curfew and that I need to sleep?"

"Way ahead of me there," Catherine nods. "So, uh… make sure you do that, okay?"

"Will do, Catherine." His response was quick and forced as he shut the door. The atmosphere had grown so cold and awkward that Ashe swore the warm light in the lantern nestled in the corner of his room had begun to fade from its suppressive force.

He blew out the tiny flame, the night's heavy veil covering all corners of the room. Ashe retreated under his covers as resurfaced thoughts and feelings appeared at the forefront of his mind.

Ashe barely gets a wink of sleep that night.

.

.

.

Despite what he said in his letter, Ashe had no present to send home to his siblings. It was a little irresponsible, he realised, but so long as he could find something suitable in Garreg Mach's marketplace by the end of the day, they'd have the present he promised them by the week's end. The warm haze of the afternoon sun bore down on Ashe when he stepped onto the stairs overlooking the markets. Eyes scanning over each stall littered with various items from small pieces of inexpensive jewelry to essentials like the weapons that were strewn around the blacksmith, the kart laden with silver caught his eye amongst the others, recalling there was an odd selection of books the merchant had for sale.

The moment he took the first step down, a figure with familiarly braided hair stood out amongst the crowd as the person who it belonged to shook their head at a merchant.

"Oh, is that Petra? Looks like she's out shopping," he mumbled an obvious observation, watching her in the corner of his eye, the Black Eagle student crossing her arms as if she were frustrated.

He didn't pay much mind to her as he browsed through the books, a bald-faced lie Ashe realised when his eyes flickered between the book and the corner of his eye where Petra stood. He forced his gaze to soak up the pages of the open book in front of him; instead, one that would have captivated him entirely had sharp gasps not reached his ears. His head snapped up and followed the direction of the sound to find Petra's sword out of her sheath and pointed at the merchant's face.

"Wait!" Ashe yelped from across the courtyard as Petra inched it closer. He dashed past the awestruck onlookers and stopped at her side. "P-Petra! What are you doing!? Why are you fighting? Wh-what did she say?" Ashe asked in alarm, opting to ignore the fact his voice cracked.

Petra glanced at him, her solemn expression brightening when he made his surprise appearance. She lowered her sword and sheathed it. "I was asked to be coming here and do the shopping, but then this merchant gave me her challenge!" 

"Huh?" Ashe blinked, utterly confused by the girl's explanation. "This has to be a misunderstanding. Look, I'll help you, what were you trying to buy exactly?" he asked, trying his best to redirect the situation to a more peaceful one.

"We are needing… Vulneraries," Petra takes a moment to recall. "Many people make use of them, and our stock is lowly."

"Got it, just leave this to me," Ashe nodded with a smile of reassurance, understanding what she needed. He asked the merchant- Anna, he found out later, for the prices of the vulneraries. Ashe immediately negotiated a deal, hearing the absurdly high asking price for such essential healing items. The two went back and forth, Ashe forgetting that Petra was glancing at them (but mostly him) curiously as he tried to pull in the best price possible for her. Anna stood her ground with her pricing, though Ashe refused to let up. Some time into their exchange, Anna began acting pricklier than before.

"Come one, isn't that price just a little high? Surely you can afford to go a bit lower than that," he tried to reason with the merchant, the redhead's frown becoming deeper.

"Are you kidding? This is even lower than my usual bargain rate!" Anna groaned.

Ashe raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because the shop by the gates was selling the same item for a little more than half that," Ashe explained to the reluctant merchant, fighting back a growing grin when Anna's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. "I guess Petra and I will have to head back there after all," Ashe sighed, feigning disappointment to get the point across.

That, of course, was a lie. Ashe did feel a little bad for doing so since the price of other stall's vulneraries were only a little cheaper than Anna's base price. He supposed the fact that it was a lie that flowed out of his mouth so quickly is that it was what disappointed him more. Still intent on getting the best price, he turned his back as the miffed merchant spoke up.

"Hey!" she called out. "Let's all take a deep breath. Here's the deal," she began dramatically. "I'll give you… another ten percent off. How's that?" She offered to the customers slipping out of her grasp. She almost immediately regretted the offer when the boy turned back around on his heels instantaneously with a glint in his eye.

Ashe grinned. "Make it twenty percent, and you've got a deal."

Not wanting to lose out on potential money and future customers, she caved in to his deal, sensing the finality behind the tone of Ashe's voice. "Hmph. You drive a hard bargain. Fine, twenty percent. But you better be grateful!"

She moved behind her cart and slammed a box onto the bench, muttering something incomprehensible under her breath. Anna crossed her arms, looking at them both expectantly, awaiting her money. Petra, still fascinated by what Ashe did, snapped out of her daze, digging into the heavy bag filled with coins she received from Professor Byleth. It took her a moment to figure out the appropriate amount, shelling out the correct amount with a little help from Ashe. When the box was filled up appropriately, Ashe, ever the gentleman he was, offered to take the box for Petra nearby; only to be stopped by a Knight of Seiros waved down by Anna, who kindly offered to take it to Professor Byleth for them, to which they gratefully accepted.

Petra turned back to Ashe with a grateful grin. "The shopping was successful! You have my gratitude Ashe," Petra bowed, fully satisfied with the outcome. He gave her a quizzical look momentarily when she bowed, fading to his usual smile when she fixed her posture. Perhaps it was a common practice from Brigid to bow regardless of one's status, he presumed. 

"Not a problem," he shook his head. "I'm used to this sort of thing."

The young Princess let out a tired sigh despite his reassurances. "Bargaining for prices in Fodlan is… complicated. But I am thankful for this bargain. Now more can be given back to the Professor," she glanced down at the bag, pulling on a string that sealed the gold shut inside it. "I had learnings about the customs of Fodlan… I have gratitude for that too."

The way Petra's voice softened while expressing her gratitude, made him feel a certain way that he couldn't describe. The strange sensation went away immediately, but the lingering feeling left him a little Jumpy. "Ah, I wouldn't call it a custom, exactly," he cleared his throat. "It's just a trick we commoners use to save money." 

"Efficiency with money is a wonderful culture," she enthusiastically responded despite his efforts to convince her otherwise. Perhaps it was because she was so enthusiastic about something that seemed so trivial to him that he finds himself smiling still.

"I promise you it's really nothing special," he folded his arms.

"Then we will be having to agree to disagree," Petra shrugged, her radiant expression unwavering. "But Ashe, I am wondering, what are you doing here? I am curiously… curious. You surprised me with your appearance."

"I did? You didn't seem very surprised," Ashe rubbed his chin. "Ah, but to answer your question, I was just looking for a little present to send home to my siblings with a letter I wrote. They wanted me to write back, but with all the classes that I have to keep up with, it's been hard to remember, if I'm honest."

The Princess nodded, followed by a small hum. "Yes, I have understanding, but I am liking it. I am having great learnings about battle and Fodlan. But sometimes I am finding it difficult to… relax. The classes and chores are keeping me moving, so I do not mind."

Ashe could hardly imagine struggling to sit still. His struggles with reading and writing initially frustrated him to no end, and so Ashe forced himself to study to the point of burning himself out, passing out during one of his lessons with Lonato. From that day onward, Lonato had made sure to reassure Ashe often that it was okay to take breaks, to take pace himself when the time called for it. 

"While I do understand the importance of the lessons we're being taught, I'd hate to burn myself out," Ashe replied, ruminating on the topic for a few more moments. "I suppose I can't help but feel a little envious of you," Ashe laughed.

"I am thinking that it… oh, what is the words… cuts both ways?" Petra says, unsure. "I struggle to take breaks. You, Ashe, are struggling with the workload. We can both have learnings from each other."

"Well, when you put it like that, it does make me feel a little better about it," he nodded, comforted by her words.

"Then I am glad," Petra said in delight. "But Ashe, I was not knowing you had siblings. What present are you to buy?"

"Did I never tell you?" He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, yes, I do. Their names are Marco and Alyssa, both younger than me. I was thinking of buying them a book they liked that Lonato has in his library, though it's all battered and bruised." Ashe explained. "I can show you if you'd like."

"I would be appreciating that," Petra said a little more excited than before. Ashe walked back over to the stall he was once occupying, Petra following closely behind him. He greets the stall owners again, who glanced at Petra with an odd expression, eyes flickering down at the sword on her hip. Ashe notices quickly to Petra's surprise and reassures them that it was a terrible misunderstanding. The store owner didn't appear to be convinced initially but eventually relaxed, and left them to themselves when Ashe picked out a book. He took notice of Petra's gaze looking far away, her face mixed with emotions. The clearing of his throat brought her attention to him.

"Here, this is the one. It's called 'The Knight of the Wind.' It's among some of my favourite stories, and both my siblings quite like reading it," Ashe explained, noticing Petra's eyes squinting for a few moments, shooting open not a moment later upon coming to a realisation. 

"I am knowing this book. The library has many books, but this one I cannot be finding, so I have amazement to find it here," the Princess stared at the book. "It is the first Fodlan book I was reading in Enbarr, from a tutor when I was… arriving in there four years ago." There's a subtle change in tone behind her voice that Ashe barely noticed in passing, a certain sadness that he felt he understood.

"Your first book?" he asked curiously. "This is certainly not a beginner's book. Whoever was tutoring you, must've been strict to start you with something so advanced."

"Such words are not sufficing enough," Petra's face dropped a little. "But yes, this was my first. I was not understanding it at first, but now I am. I wish to read this story again, because this book is... dear to me. Is that so strange?"

Ashe vehemently shook his head. "Of course not. And if anyone says it is, then I'm just as strange as you. After all, Loog and the Maiden of Wind is dear to me too. It's what got me into reading, after all."

Petra's head tilts upon hearing the title. "Loog and the Maiden of Wind… is that having relation to Knight of the Wind?" Petra asks curiously, her question answered if only by the twinkle in his eye.

"Ah, yes, it does, actually!" Ashe says excitedly, but quickly and forcibly suppressed the feeling. He was aware he had a bit of a habit of getting overly excited about such things, which lead to a somewhat awkward first impression with his classmates, perhaps outside of Ingrid and Dimitri. It was rather embarrassing. "But then again, I suppose you don't want to hear me ramble about all of that. I'd hate to bore you with details."

Petra mirrored his head shake. "Please be telling me, Ashe. Your enthusiasm is like an… infection. But a good one?" she tried to reassure him. She ruminated on what she said, and sheepishly cleared her throat. "Perhaps that is not the best…"

"Metaphor?" Ashe supplied

"Yes! Metaphor," she confirmed. "But please know I am still appreciative of your excitement, Ashe." 

He let out a laugh with an edge of mirth in his voice. "Well, if you really want to know, I suppose I can tell you. It'd be just like my father and me all over again, actually. He used to recount abridged versions of the stories to me before I went to bed." His mouth arched up at the corners ever so slightly into a small smile recalling the nights spent with his father, the one he lost to disease so long ago, hearing of the heroic exploits of the knights he'd come to idolise.

"Your father is sounding like a great man," she said with genuine sincerity. Ashe felt as is if he should be elated at the comment, yet he couldn't stop his gaze from falling to the ground. 

"Yeah… my father was," Ashe mutters too low for Petra to hear, the Gaspard heir's face expressionless. He knew she meant well, meant no harm. She didn't know of his circumstances yet; after all, he'd never spoken of his biological father, only that Lonato adopted him.

Thinking of him and his mother still made Ashe's heartache.

Petra blinked, confused by his reaction. She bit the inside of her lip, wondering if she did something wrong. Did she come off too strong? Too insensitive, perhaps? "Ashe? Was I saying something wrong?"

Ashe looked up with a fake smile that hid pain a familiar pain she'd made peace with herself long ago. Seeing it reflected in someone's face and eyes put her on edge. "No, no, it's fine, really. I appreciate the concern Petra," he shook his head, fixing his posture. "But since you'd like to know more about Loog and Maiden of Wind and The Knight of the Wind, I think we should go somewhere a little quieter, don't you think?"

"That is a good idea," Petra agreed, having noticed the crowd grow more significant by the minute as time passed into the market's peak hours. "I am thinking that some tea would be good for us. Are you having a favourite, Ashe?"

"Oh, well, I am quite fond of angelica tea or mint leaves, but you really don't have to…"

Petra nodded with a determined smile. "Very well, I shall be preparing the tea. Shall I be meeting you in the gardens?" she interrupted him, expecting an answer.

The weight behind her gaze bore into him as she waited for a reply, and swayed the decision in his head more than he'd admit. "Well, since you insist, I suppose I can't exactly refuse now, can I?"

"Then I shall be seeing you soon then?" she asked a little more hopeful.

"You will." The confirmation was swift and instant. Petra bowed and turned back towards the dining hall's kitchen as he watched her walk away. Turning his attention back to the book, the owner of the market stall raised an eyebrow that accompanied a teasing smirk, asking if he'd finally decided to buy the book or not.

He thought it over for a few more moments.

_ "The library has many books, but this one I cannot be finding, so I have amazement to find it here." _

_ "I was not understanding it at first, but now I am. I wish to read this story again, because this book is... dear to me. Is that so strange?" _

His hand dug into his bag of coins, double-checking that he had doubled the amount he'd intended to spend counted out accurately on his palm. His eyes locked with the merchant again with his hand raised and arm stretched out, hearing the clinking of the coins against one another as they fell from one hand into another.

"Two copies of The Knight of the Wind, please."

He stared down at the copy that the merchant handed to him in exchange as he trudged back to his room, being promised that a second one would be in stock and given to him as soon as she could. The book weighed heavily in his hands as much as it did on his mind as he sat at his desk, wrapping it neatly in the paper that would keep it safe on its journey to its new home. Upon giving it to the messenger who was moments away from leaving the monastery, he retreated quickly to the gardens, where Petra sat patiently waiting for him, a kettle, cups, and other food assortments to accompany her.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, gaining Petra's attention immediately. Her calm flat-faced expression turning into a smiley one when he sat across from her. Pouring their tea, a cup of angelica tea for Ashe, and four-spice herself, Petra shifted her seat closer to the table's edge, eager to hear his ramblings despite his initial doubts. 

He cleared his throat, his hands twitching, and mouth running dry all at once. There was that strange sensation again, the feeling had risen within him, the name eluding Ashe as he maintained eye contact with the girl for longer than usual.

"So. Where would you like to start?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say here, except comments with your thoughts and kudos are appreciated.
> 
> And read anything in the Petra/Ashe tag by Soak cos their stories are elite.


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